This is one of the simplest dietary moves you can make to lower disease risk and extend both lifespan and healthspan.
Let's pretend you have a big button on your desk. For the next 6 weeks, your challenge is to push that button once every day. If you do, you'll win. The prize? A longer, stronger life.
Pushing the button...
- Lowers all-cause mortality risk (dying from any cause)
- Lowers cardiovascular mortality
- Lowers infection-related mortality
- Lowers cancer mortality
Would you remember to push that button?
Unfortunately, that magic button doesn't exist. But something else does that's almost as simple: consume a whole lot of whole berries or a supplement made of concentrated freeze-dried berries, like Biotest Superfood > Buy at Biotest.
Those surprising effects are driven by phytochemicals, especially anthocyanins and related polyphenols. In one study, researchers gave people either blueberry powder or a placebo for 6 weeks. Those consuming the berry powder showed:
Increased natural killer (NK) cell counts – NK cells are front-line immune surveillance. Get your cell count up and you'll experience faster elimination of virus-infected cells, better detection and destruction of early cancer cells, and improved immune competence with aging.
👍 That means you'll be less likely to die from viral infections that escalate into severe disease (a major killer), infection-related complications and certain cancers.
Reduced arterial stiffness – This is one of the strongest predictors of cardiovascular death. Reduced stiffness manifests as lower pulse pressure, reduced cardiac afterload, and less microvascular damage in brain and kidneys.
👍 This means you're less likely to die from a heart attack, stroke, or kidney disease.
Lower diastolic blood pressure – This reduces cumulative vascular damage. You'll see less endothelial injury, a lower risk of left ventricular hypertrophy, and reduced strain on cerebral and renal microvasculature.
👍 This means you're less likely to die from a stroke, ischemic heart disease, and hypertensive complications.
Some bad news, some good news
The bad news: In the study, the participants consumed 250 grams of blueberry powder. That's a lot. And unfortunately, you'd have to eat 5.5 pounds of whole blueberries every day to match their positive results.
The good news: You too can consume a berry-dense polyphenol blend made with whole-food extracts. Blueberries are nutritional powerhouses, and wild blueberries are even more powerful. But other berries have the same benefits, including raspberries, strawberries, and especially maqui berries – one of the highest anthocyanin-density berries known.
That's why we chose an organic berry combo for Superfood > Buy at Biotest, harvested and flash-freeze-dried at the peak of their potency. There are no fillers, no sweeteners, and no testosterone-lowering ingredients common to similar supplements.
Just have one tiny scoop daily. Smash that button.
For more info, check out: Life Stack: The 3-Food Insurance Policy.
Reference
- McAnulty, L. S., et al. "Six Weeks Daily Ingestion of Whole Blueberry Powder Increases Natural Killer Cell Counts and Reduces Arterial Stiffness in Sedentary Males and Females." Nutrition Research, vol. 34.